#princess of skull island

[leoprime13]

Jia, signing: You have really beautiful crystal spikes, Ms. Shimo.

Shimo: What is she doing?

Kong: Oh, that's how she communicates since she cannot hear.

Shimo: Okay. So what did she say?

Kong: She says that you have beautiful crystal spikes.

Shimo:

Kong:

Kong: Umm, Shimo? Are you okay?

Shimo: *tearing up* Yeah. Just got something stuck in my eye.

[godzillajuniorreborn]

Both are feral teenage girls who have giant canine companions, are socially inept towards other humans, live in environments filled to the brim with giant monsters, and have a beef with older women (San has Eboshi and Annie has Irene). 

I'm seriously surprised nobody's made any connection to this since the MonsterVerse is full of Ghibli references. 

[drudyslut]

— summary: kook princess. kook prince. perfect match, right? wrong. you hated rafe cameron and everything he stood for. and he hated you. so when your fathers spring it on the two of you that they’d arranged for the two of you to be married, both of your worlds are flipped upside down.

— CW: 18+ only !! cocaine use, alcohol consumption, sexual innuendo, strong language.

likes, comments and reblogs are very appreciated <3

part one

3 days later…

RAFE

“So.. Let me get this straight. Your dad, and Y/N’s dad, have formed some kind of plan to merge both companies.. And you have to marry Y/N for it to be the most successful?”

I snort. Leave it to Topper to have to go over the scenario a hundred fucking times before it finally clicks in his thick skull. I ignore him, grabbing the rolled up hundred dollar bill off the glass table and place it under my right nostril. Leaning forward, i place the other end of the rolled bill at the end of the perfectly formed white line, sniffing up the substance before dropping the bill and flopping back into the soft, white couch. Fuck, I love the burn this shit leaves behind. The way it makes my body tingle, clearing my mind of any bullshit I don’t want to think about.

Topper tries ruining my high again. “Rafe. C’mon man, we have to talk about this. What’re you going to do?”

I sit up, my eyes narrowed into thin slits at him. “There’s nothing to fucking talk about, Top. My dad and her dad have already signed our lives away. I’m supposed to marry the stuck up bitch in less than a month. I don’t want to think about it, so drop it.”

Topper groans, but thankfully, he drops the subject. I don’t know what he expects me to say. I don’t want to marry her. Marriage is the last thing I pictured myself ever doing, but even if I had decided to settle down one day, start a family, it sure as Hell wouldn’t have been her I chose. Y/N Y/L/N is the bane of my existence, and my polar opposite.

Where I like to have fun, and am riddled with issues from head to toe — thanks dad — she’s boring. She doesn’t get out, and she is issue free. Her family didn’t fuck her life up like mine did — well, until now I guess — and she doesn’t even want to change her ways. She’s stuck in the mindset of being the perfect princess. My dad always praised her when we were growing up. “Be more like Y/N, Rafe.” “Why can’t you act like Y/N? She’s a good girl.” and my favorite line “I wish I had Y/N as a daughter instead of you as my fuck up son”.

I shake the thoughts to the back of my mind. The last thing I want to do right now is think of fucking Y/N Y/L/N and the fact that come this weekend, the entire island will know we’re getting married. That’ll really fuck up my chances with getting any pussy before this wedding. That’s another thing. The girls still a fucking virgin. I mean, who the fuck is still a virgin at twenty-one years old? Y/N fucking Y/L/N, that’s who.

“You have to admit though, she is hot. And she’s a virgin, how longs it been since you fucked a virgin?” Top says, amusement lacing his tone as he lightly punches at my shoulder.

I roll my eyes. “She’s not fucking hot, Topper. She’s a bitch.”

Lie.

Y/N is a lot of things, but unattractive isn’t one of them. I would be lying to myself if I said she wasn’t fucking gorgeous. But I’ll never admit that out loud.

“C’mon Rafe. Lighten up. Maybe it won’t be so bad”

I bark out a laugh at that. It’s going to be fucking miserable. A loveless marriage. Handcuffs that I can’t break free from, even if I wanted to.

“Topper. Fucking drop it.”

He opens his mouth to speak but thankfully, Kelce comes barging through the front door. I quickly stand from the couch, making my way to my other best friend and mouthing a silent “thank you” to him for arriving when he did.

“Y’all ready?” Kelce asks, his eyes darting between Topper and I. Thankful for the intrusion and opportunity to drop this entire fucking subject, nod my head. “Let’s go”

-

The boys and I enter the Island Club. We come here quite often to just get drunk and forget about our shitty days. I am thankful for this tradition right about now. This whole marriage thing has had me stressed out for the last three days. I remember when Ward first came to me about it. He had told me that it was time for me to step up and do something good for the family.

“Son, a word?”

I roll my eyes, glancing at the girl laid beside me I tell her, “I’ll be right back”

My dad chuckles, his eyes glancing behind me and at the brunette that wears only my T-shirt and a pair of underwear. “Actually, you can get dressed and go. Rafe won’t be back up here until late tonight”

I roll my eyes, opening my mouth to protest, but my dad’s stern look has me quickly shutting my mouth. There’s never a point in arguing with Ward Cameron. He will win every single fucking time.

Turning to face Sofia, I give her a small smile. “Sorry, I’ll call you later”

She rolls her eyes but nods her head. She grabs her things from my floor before slipping on her white Nike tennis shoes and walking toward me. She positions all of her things in her left hand, her right palm pressed firmly against my chest as she leans up on her tiptoes and presses a long kiss to my lips.

My father clearing his throat has me pushing her back softly. “I’ll call you.” I say firmly. She turns and exits my room. Leaving me all alone with my dad.

“You won’t be calling her” He states.

My narrowed eyes find his. “And why is that?”

“Because, son. You’re about to step up and do something good for this family, and I won’t have you fucking it up by sleeping around with some bartender from the club.”

I scoff. “What’re you-” I begin to ask, but he cuts me off.

“You’re going to be marrying Y/N Y/L/N.” He says matter-of-factly.

“Rafe? You good bro?”

The sound of Kelce’s voice rips me from the memory. I slowly turn my head to face him, his dark brown eyes filled with slight concern.

Clearing my throat, I say, “Yeah. I’m good. Lets get fucking drunk”

Kelce and Topper nod their heads and begin making their way toward the bar. I follow them closely behind, but freeze in my tracks when I see her. Sofia. I never did call her, and it’s been three days since she was last in my room. I know she’s going freak out on me. If she doesn’t, i’ll be surprised.

I clear my throat and roll my neck before continuing my way up to the bar with my friends. I finally reach Kelce and Topper, they’re already ordering. “Rafe, whatcha drinking bro?” Kelce asks while looking behind his shoulder at me.

I open my mouth to speak but Sofia’s narrowed eyes landing on mine the second she hears my name has me clamping my mouth shut. I give her an awkward nod, debating on just leaving. That’s not who I am though, I don’t run away like a scared little bitch, so instead I order, “Whiskey. Neat.”

She rolls her eyes. “You’ll call me, huh? It’s been three days, Rafe. What the fuck?”

I hear Kelce and Topper snort out a laugh. I glare at the back of both their heads. I’m friends with fucking children. Turning my attention back to the short brunette, I sigh heavily. “Situations changed, Sofie.”

She scoffs at that. “Well, it would be nice to know that you had just planned on fucking me and never calling again. I wouldn’t have ever looked at you twice.”

Topper slings an arm around my shoulder. “I’m sure he would have called had he not found out later that day that’s he’s marrying Y/N Y/L-”

I throw my elbow into Topper’s side, making his arm fall from my shoulder as he groans in pain. “What the fuck was that for?” He demands.

I roll my eyes, and put my focus back on Sofia. “Look, like I said. Situations changed. I won’t apologize for not calling you, we never said it would be more than sex between us anyways”

Her mouth falls open and tears begin to well up in her chocolate brown eyes. I sigh. This is the thing about women. They always expect so much more than you’re willing to give. I never planned on having a relationship with Sofia, and she knows that. But now, I’m the bad guy because she was all but thrown out of my house and I never called.

She lifts her eyes toward the ceiling above her, blinking back her tears before her eyes find mine again. “Well, good to know. Let me get those drinks for you guys.”

I let out a deep exhale, turning to face Topper and Kelce. They both have shit eating grins on their faces. “What?” I snap.

Topper chuckles. “Nothing. You better hope she doesn’t spit in your drinks all night” He jokes.

I run a hand down my face. Tonight was supposed to help me unwind, not cause more fucking unwanted stress. “I never fed her lines of false hope, so I don’t know why she’s freaking the fuck out.”

Kelce chuckles this time, slapping a hand on my shoulder. “Don’t they all freak the fuck out when it comes to you? I mean c’mon Rafe. You can’t ever sleep with a girl without her expecting more.. I just hope you’re prepared for the long list that’s going to come for your throat when this engagement is announced.”

I sigh for what feels like the thousandth time tonight. He’s right. I have never been serious about any of the girls I slept with. They all wanted more, but every single time I felt they were getting to attached, I stopped calling or texting them. It was better that way. I didn’t want anything serious, and now, I’m being forced into something super serious. Fuck, my life really sucks doesn’t it?

“Here. Drink up, you need it.” I hear Kelce say. I turn to face him and he has his left hand extended toward me, my glass of whiskey in hand. I quickly snatch it from his grip and throw it back, downing the amber liquid in one gulp. Turning to face the bar, I slide the glass back toward Sofia. “Another.”

-

Two hours and multiple glasses of whiskey later, I’m drunk. The room sways a bit, and I reach my hand out to grip the patio railing. I hear Topper laugh from the right of me. “Dude, you’re fucking wasted.” He laughs out, placing his hand on my shoulder to help keep me upright.

“I- I am not wasted, Top. I’m just… Buzzed” I lie.

He opens his mouth to speak but he quickly slams it shut, the sound of his teeth clashing together has me turning my full attention on him. His brows are raised and his eyes look like they’re going to pop from his skull as he stares intently behind us.

“What the fuck are you looking at? You look like you’ve seen a fucking ghost.” I joke. But he doesn’t laugh, and that makes me nervous. Topper laughs at the dumbest shit, so for him to remain staring behind us with a look of pure shock in his eyes, it has me wondering what just happened.

My body sways to the side as I try to turn and face the direction he’s looking, but his hand on my shoulder has me stopping in place.

I narrow my blue — possibly bloodshot — eyes on him. “What the fuck, Top. Speak!”

He clears his throat. “I- Uh.. Y/N just walked in with some of her friends.”

That has my attention. I quickly turn my body, falling forward a bit but catching myself with the help of the railing again. She stands at the bar. And she looks fucking delicious right now. For a girl who has never taken it past kissing a man — if she’s even kissed a man — she sure knows how to dress the part of any other girl on this island. She wears a black, leather skirt that hugs her curves and ass nicely. A tight, white cropped top and a pair of black heels that add a few inches to her height. Her hair is up in a high ponytail, and all I can think of is wrapping my hand in it and pulling her head back as I fuck her from behind.

What the fuck? Why am I thinking of her like this? I fucking hate her. My soon to be wife. She’s a fucking stuck up, prude bitch. My mind tells me to stop staring, reminds me that I can’t fucking stand her. But my cock is screaming the complete opposite.

Without thinking, my legs begin to carry me toward her. I come to a stop right behind her, clearing my throat, causing her head to whip in my direction. The moment her eyes find mine, she’s rolling them. The act alone is fucking sexy. I picture her eyes rolling into the back of her head while my face is buried between her legs, devouring her sweet cunt. Fuck. Stop thinking of her like this Rafe, you’re just drunk, and horny. Any girl would do, but for some fucking reason, my mind is consumed with her.

“What the fuck do you want, Rafe” She sighs.

I smirk at the anger that radiates from her. “Just coming to say- just coming to say hey to my future wifeeee.” I slur. She rolls her eyes as they find mine again.

“You said hey, now run along. We don’t need to pretend to like each other right now.”

Maybe it’s just because I’m drunk, but her words stung. She really hates me doesn’t she? I mean, I hate her too. Don’t I? Yes, Rafe. She’s a stuck up bitch who acts like she’s better than everyone. But my drunken mind has me sighing as I say, “You really don’t like me, baby?”

Her body stiffens, eyes wide as she stares back at me. “I- Don’t call me that.”

I smirk. I have her worked up. Reaching out my left hand, I push a few strands of hair behind her ear before I run my fingers down the side of her face. She sucks in a shaky breath and flinches away from my touch.

“Rafe… Please just let me have a night out with my friends. In two days, we’re announcing to the entire island that we’re getting married, and I’d like to live the last two days of my life without you around… Lord knows I’m about to be stuck with you.”

My eyes narrow and I take a step toward her. You’re drunk, Rafe. Keep your cool. My large hands reach for her face, cupping her cheeks as I lower my face closer to hers. I don’t miss the way her chest rises and falls rapidly from my close proximity. She’s nervous. It’s going to be so much fun having her all to myself. Even if I hate her, pussy is pussy. And this is pussy that’s never been touched. She’s all mine to play with. To fuck. To break. To train. She’ll be my own personal whore by the time I’m done with her.

My glassy, blue eyes search her face. I half expect her to shove me away, and I’m so drunk I wouldn’t be able to fight back on it. But she doesn’t. Instead, her eyes find mine. That’s it, be strong baby girl. I like the tough girl act.

“Baby, you’re going to be crawling on your hands and knees begging for me to touch you. To kiss you. To please you. You can act like you hate me now, Lord knows I can’t stand you. But even I can admit, you’re fucking gorgeous. And I know you find me somewhat attractive.” I pause, placing my lips on the sensitive skin of her neck and leaving soft kisses, making her hiss in a breath. “I know this isn’t what either one of us wanted, but we have no choice… Why not enjoy the game?”

Her beautiful eyes narrow into slits and her lips thin. She blinks a few times before slapping my hands from her face. I stumble back a little, but catch myself on the bar, giving her a slow smirk.

“Fuck you, Rafe!” She hisses before grabbing her purse and storming off to the locker rooms.

I smile to myself as I watch her storm off. She’s mad now, but I meant what I said. She’ll be begging for more after I finally touch her. She can pretend now, and I’m not saying I’m falling for her. But Topper was right. She’s hot. Might as well enjoy the game and the perks, right? Letting out a small laugh, I turn and make my way back toward my friends, adjusting my hard cock that’s straining against my pants in the process. This is going to be fun.

RAFE TAGLIST: @rafeism @thelomlisrafecameron @rafegirly @f4ll-for-you @drewstarkeyslut @dilvcv @thewitchesofart @rafesgfxo @unsaidjaelinrose @abbybarnesstuff @itsmytimetoodream @thatsthewaythechrissycrumbles @r1vrsefx @yourfavborderhopper @moremaybank @rafetopia @rafemotherfuckingcameron @jade-is-jaded @lexasaurs634 @anqeliclust @presleyanswrites @carma-fanficaddict @rafescokenostril @madzzz0797 @slytherhoes @jscameron @jjsmarijuana @ijustwanttoreadlols @luversgirl @sugarcoatedstarkey @skyesthebomb @nirvanaissogood @stvrkey @vhour @emma77645 @rafeinterlude @superlegend216 @mannstarkey @spideysimpossiblegirl @redhead1180 @crgirlsworld @atorturedpoetx @carolinaxvz @maybankslover @cantstoptherecs @pradabambie @slut4ani @biggesthat3r @wearemadeofstardust @sylverdragon

rafe masterlist | taglist form | series masterlist

[partycatty]

Do you write for other characters like bi han or tomas?

i do! i'm just mentally ill over johnny LOL

lin kuei trio > caught

the boys can't keep their eyes off of you! what're you gonna do about it?!

warnings: idk nothing much tbh, i guess a little nsfw at the end of smoke's part but nothing crazy, controversial bi-han take? kuai favoritism <3 & google translate

notes: pretend that bi-han's betrayal doesn't happen for his part. i rewrote this twice bc i kept accidentally clicking on notifs and forgetting to save. third time's the charm :3 also pls admire that i specifically made gifs of each man making eye contact w you teehee

masterlist <3

♡

bi-han >

•let me preface this by saying i heavily disagree with the headcanons of most of his fics. this man is ASS at verbalizing affection, and probably wants a trad wife to serve him. he won't call you "princess" or "doll," and PDA is not his strong suit. he'll love you of course, he just wouldn't show it with flowers and cuddles.

•that being said, all he could do was eye you down as you opened the front door, coming face to face with him, his brother kuai liang, and the fire god liu kang. your jaw opened and closed rapidly, trying to make sense of the two ninjas and man with glowing eyes.

•"uhh, there's no hunky ninja-themed bachelorette party here tonight," you say, raising an eyebrow. "try two houses down. lord knows they're a couple of freaks—" before you could close the door on them, bi-han reaches forward and sticks his foot in the door. liu kang, the primary voice of reason and supposed leader of the situation, asks to enter your home. you don't feel like you're in a position to decline.

•kuai liang wanders your living room, tracing his finger across your shelves and leaning in to inspect your paintings. liu kang stands in front of you, giving you the whole "earthrealm, fire god, tournament, chosen one" spiel, we all know how it goes. but you're struggling to focus, struggling pretty hard actually, because bi-han is literally standing like a statue at your kitchen island a few feet away, his icy glare seemingly stabbing through your skull. perhaps he's just intimidating you into an agreement. it works.

•you really hope that bi-han's staring ends there, but you are a damn fool.

•you train alongside the other recruited earthrealmers, taking a short break when you see a now-familiar trio stroll through the training grounds. yellow, grey... and blue. and even though their destination seems well past your location, bi-han literally could not tear his eyes away from you as you sat under the tree as you try to relieve yourself of the ruthless heat of the sun. he drinks in your damp form, and the way your hair sticks sweetly to your forehead. that is, until kuai liang gives him an obvious playful jab to his side, making bi-han snap forward and continue to lead his brothers, not before shooting him a nasty look. icy frost is noticeable on his fists as he clenches them.

•are you losing your mind? why the hell is the grandmaster of the lin kuei eating you alive with his eyes alone? you try to confide in your earthrealm partners, but raiden shrugs, kenshi's at a loss for words, and kung lao and johnny just laugh boisterously at your oblivious nature.

•finally, you're accompanying the lin kuei trio as they wait for instruction from liu kang regarding the soul stealing beacons. smoke and scorpion sit on the bench while sub-zero paces endlessly. each time he faces your way, he locks eyes with you. what is this guy's deal? it literally looks like he wants to skin you alive.

•kung lao and raiden permit them to enter liu kang's meeting room, and bi-han immediately struts off with a noticeable tinge of pink on his face. as the other two follow, you stop and grab kuai liang's shoulder gently, making him face you with surprised eyes.

•"pardon my hindrance, scorpion," you say with a quick bow. "but your grandmaster has been eyeing me down since as long as i've known him. is... is there something i did? something he is displeased with? i find it quite unnerving."

•kuai liang's face freezes, and then very clearly fights a shit-eating smirk. it's not typical for him to be as amused as he is now, but how could he resist when he could literally see what was going on? he chuckles for a moment.

•"bi-han thinks you'd make a good wife," kuai liang replies, a smile tugging at his lips. "please forgive his harsh expression. he couldn't shake it if he tried."

•with that, bi-han's younger brother turns on his heel and enters the mission debrief, leaving you beet red and suddenly completely understanding the signs after the fact.

•when the trio returns successful, you stop noticing his eye contact, because you're too embarrassed to even glance in his general direction. doesn't stop him, though.

♡

smoke >

•you were an initiate of the shirai ryu following its formation. disgusted by the betrayal of your former grandmaster, tomas and kuai liang beckoned you to carry on a new oath in a new chapter of the close-knit clan. you had not seen them much prior to this, but they didn't think to question your dedication.

•since reforming the clan and being given a higher position rather than a lowly grunt, your uniform changed. the once all-black, full-body uniform became something you could design. you opted for something a little more... breathable. think mk11 mileena.

•shut up i know ninja uniforms are like that for a reason just bear with me

•you decide to debut said outfit at a meeting over tea, strutting in and taking your seat with grace. tomas nearly chokes on his damn tea, a single puff of smoke shooting from his lips as he coughs. he wishes he had his mask on right about now, so he could conceal his reddening cheeks. you, his brother, and harumi look at him with partially perplexed, partially amused glances before moving on, hoping to save smoke from the embarrassment of being confronted.

•every time you leaned forward to point at the map centered on the table, tomas's eyes were glued to you. this poor man doesn't know what to do with himself when you're just so pretty! taking a gentle sip of your tea as kuai liang asks tomas about the new recruit, that hasashi boy, you glance up past the cup and realize tomas is quite literally giving you heart eyes, completely entranced. you chuckle to yourself. it is quite cute when he looks at you like that, lips parted and eyes gentle.

•"grandmaster," you say calmly, turning toward the pyromancer. "it seems your second-in-command missed your question. would you mind repeating yourself?" as you ask, tomas seemingly snaps out of it and tries to conceal his devious thoughts, putting his palm over his mouth and leaning on his elbow on the table.

•kuai liang groans to himself before repeating the question, one that tomas answers quickly and a little anxiously. he flashes you a sheepish smile. harumi giggles and look at the two of you knowingly.

•a long evening of training kicked your ass, and you decided you deserved a good rest in the nearby hot springs. fully confirming you're alone in the moonlight, you strip of your uniform and dip into the hot water. your tense muscles unravel at the warmth and you let out a pleased moan at the relief. the water reaches just above your breasts and you're about to lean your head back and close your eyes, letting the comfort of the water encapsulate you.

•that is, until you see a faint trail of smoke creep out from behind you and dip into the water around you. you smile knowingly, not even bothering to turn around.

•"tomas," you say, a hint of playful displeasure in your tone. "for a ninja, your stealth skills are starting to fall apart."

•your trained ears hear him freeze completely and let out a little gasp. tomas slips out a curse in his native language. now it's time to toy with your food.

•still in the water, you spin around and prop yourself up against the ledge of the hot springs, looking up at him seductively. tomas breaks from his deer in headlights pose and faces you, looking down and trying so incredibly hard to remain focused on your eyes, but it's just so hard when your breasts are right—

•"i've seen the way you look at me," you confess in a sultry voice. "i'm not a blind fool. it's incessant."

•"i-i didn't think you were," tomas stammers out, crouching down to be more eye level with you. "i meant no offense, you're just so... so—"

•"none taken," you chuckle, tilting your head. "were you going to be a peeping tom, or join me, then?"

♡

kuai liang >

•since being recruited for earthrealm's part in the tournament, kuai liang has paid more visits than probably necessary to run into you during your months of training.

•he'd be all like "omg heeeey what are youuuu doing hereeee" knowing damn well of your schedule (i'm lying i'm just in love with this yummy little s'more).

•though he would get into the habit of taking late night strolls around the wu shi academy to clear his mind. it was happenstance that you enjoyed the same habit.

•this man is huge and hunky, giving you comfort and safety as you navigate the moonlit paths of the land. he finds you to be a sweet conversation partner, carrying yourself with elegance and kindness that perfectly compliments his humble, noble spirit. you speak of a passion to fight for what is right, so focused on speaking and gesturing that you don't even realize kuai liang is staring down at you with utmost admiration. his heart warms (more than usual) at what a catch you are — for the tournament...!

•"tell me, scorpion," you speak up, looking up at him with eyes that could melt. "are you the only of your family to harness the power of fire?"

•"it is a long running ability in my family," kuai liang replies, confidently but with a gentle tone. "the methods in which we harness this power are a well-kept secret."

•"even so, scorpions don't burn," you reply quickly with an amused tone, grinning up at the man. you realize he was already looking down at you with a mirrored smile. "what makes you a scorpion?"

•"my strength and sting," he says as if he were reading a script. then again, he's probably been asked this hundreds of times. his brothers were icy sub-zero and hazy smoke, his name didn't exactly fit the narrative.

•as you part your lips to continue your conversation, a gust of wind makes you shiver and you let out a little gasp, instinctively wrapping your arms around yourself. kuai remains unfazed but takes note of your chilliness.

•"are you alright, xiǎo huǒhuā?" he asks with a hint of uncharacteristic concern. your face warms momentarily at the nickname, only to be reminded of the bitter cold with another gust of wind. it wasn't the first time he said that unfamiliar phrase, but you just never thought to ask about it. reflecting on it now, you're realizing it's a pet name. you rub your arms.

•"just... cold," you reply with a trembling lip. "times like these i wish i had your power." for the first time in a while, kuai liang breaks his gaze from you and looks down at his hands, debating whether or not to speak up. he didn't want to push any boundaries with you, as he genuinely enjoyed your presence. still, he decided he's only got one shot.

•"it's a power i'm willing to share," he replies lowly, sticking his hands out palms-up. you look up at him, hesitant about his offer. another gust of wind, harsher this time, pushes on your back and pulls you toward him. you catch yourself on his hands. they're so warm and inviting. they're not necessarily soft, but they feel comforting and... god, so warm. as you sigh with relief, you look up again and realize that, just like every time beforehand, kuai liang was looking down at you with a soft smile. he was just always warm as a pyromancer, heat creeping through his skin no matter the weather.

•you two had successfully broken the barrier of touch, and you continue to walk down the path. kuai holds both of your hands in one of his, the other wrapped around your shoulder and rubbing up and down your arm to keep you from being too chilly. it's a sweet embrace, one that neither of you want to fully unpack yet, but it's a step nonetheless.

•"why is it that every time i look at you, you're already looking at me?" you ask quietly, enamored by his embrace. kuai tenses up momentarily, feeling a little sheepish at the direct confrontation. he soon relaxes after finding the right words.

•"because you're beautiful, xiǎo huǒhuā," he replies gently, squeezing your arm and hands tenderly.

•"what does that word mean?" you ask, face flushed and entire body no longer concerned over the cold.

•"...little spark."

•and so, you two continue to walk down the path in the moonlight, now in his comforting, toasty embrace.

[what-even-is-thiss]

I'm putting together a collection of people turned into flowers or other plants after a weird or tragic love affair in Greek mythology because this epidemic is just getting ridiculous. Let me know if I've missed any.

Narcissus: the one everybody knows. Loved himself so much he turned into a dang flower.

Hyacinthus: Lover of Apollo that got turned into a flower after Zephyr blew a wind and made Apollo accidentally crush his skull with a discus

Crocus: Lover of Hermes who got killed in almost the exact same way as Hyacinthus but this really was on accident Hermes just accidentally killed his boyfriend with a discus and then he got turned into a flower rip

Mecon: A lover of Demeter. Dude got turned into a poppy. idk why but someone thought he should get turned into a flower to preserve him I guess

Clytia: A nymph who liked Helios but Helios didn't like her back and she was so sad about it she turned into a heliotrope flower I guess

Ampelus: Lover of Dionysus. A satyr who died while trying to ride a bull so Dionysus turned him into a vine. I'm starting to think this is a weirdly common coping mechanism for immortals.

Minthe: A nymph that was a consort to Hades. When she claimed to be better than Persephone the goddess in question turned her into a mint plant. Tasty!

Myrrha: Aphrodite got jealous that a city of people were worshipping Dionysus instead of her so she cursed the princess of the island to fall in love with her own father and have sex with him under cover of darkness without him knowing. Myrrha was ashamed of her actions and ran into the woods where the gods turned her into a tree. Out of the tree came Adonis.

Adonis: Lover of Aphrodite. Came out of a tree. Got impaled by a boar when Ares got jealous. Aphrodite turned him into a dang flower. Either Anemones or Roses, sources vary.

Daphne: Not exactly a love affair but her dad did turn her into a laurel tree to help her escape from Apollo so that's something I guess.

[tnt-tourney]

welcome one and all to the 2023 t+t tournament!! despite the long wait for the final bracket, the day has finally arrived. due to the size of the text, the list of contestants will be under the cut. due to how many contestants there are, i wont be able to tag everything, but i will tag as much as i can.

now, since it's been a while, a quick rehashing of the relevant rules!

1. be polite to others participating in the vote

2. do not Rig the vote -- propaganda is more than welcome and the askbox is always open for it! i just dont have the energy to deal with botting

3. dont be rude if the contestants youre rooting for are voted out!! sometimes thats just the way things go. theres always next time!

4. have fun !

the polls will start rolling out sometime next week. thank you!!

left:

Hexsquad (The Owl House) VS. Vault Hunters (Borderlands 1+2)

The Bad Kids (D20: Fantasy High) VS. FloweringPassionFruit (Ride the Cyclone)

Barbie + Ken (Barbie) VS. Dwarves (Deep Rock Galactic)

Mabel Pines + Dipper Pines (Gravity Falls) VS. The Fantastic 4 (Marvel)

Klaus Hargreeves + Viktor Hargreeves (The Umbrella Academy) VS. Spiderband (Spider-Man: Into/Across the Spiderverse)

Lup + Barry Bluejeans (The Adventure Zone) VS. Cleo de Nile + Deuce Gorgon (Monster High)

Spideypool (Marvel) VS. Gomez Addams + Morticia Addams (The Addams Family)

Team Rocket (Pokémon) VS. Rashmi Jamil + Amelie Macon + Loam Arnault (Entropic Float)

Link + Zelda (The Legend of Zelda) VS. Peter Parker + Harry Osborn (Marvel)

Huey Duck + B.O.Y.D. (Ducktales 2017) VS. Golf Ball + Tennis Ball (Battle for Dream Island)

Lewis + Vivi + Arthur (Mystery Skulls Animate) VS. Horokeu Usui + Pirica Usui (Shaman King)

Paulkins (Hatchetfield) VS. Magnus Chase + Alex Fierro (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard)

Bill Preston + Ted Logan (Bill and Ted) VS. Leonard Church + Agent Texas (Red vs. Blue)

Ariel + Prince Eric (The Little Mermaid) VS. Polypirates (JRWI: Riptide)

Cody Goodwin + May Goodwin (It Takes Two) VS. Frank-N-Furter + Magenta + Columbia + Riff Raff (The Rocky Horror Show)

SpaceDolls (Ride the Cyclone) VS. Kim Possible + Ron Stoppable (Kim Possible)

---

right:

The Guardians of the Galaxy (Marvel) VS. Julian Bashir + Miles O'Brien + Jadzia Dax (Star Trek: Deep Space 9)

The Murder Crew (Clue) VS. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Vash the Stampede + Nicolas D. Wolfwood + Meryl Stryfe + Milly Thompson (Trigun) VS. Team Chaotix (Sonic the Hedgehog)

Steve + Alex (Minecraft) VS. Gyro Gearloose + Lil Bulb (Ducktales 2017)

Phantom Thieves (Persona 5) VS. Wright Anything Agency + Apollo Justice + Klavier Gavin (Ace Attorney)

Westley + Buttercup (The Princess Bride) VS. Shin + Noi (Dorohedoro)

Kermit + Miss Piggy (The Muppets) VS. The Mechanisms

Jeremy Heere + Michael Mell + Christine Canigula (Be More Chill) VS. The Solve It Squad (The Solve It Squad Returns)

Harleyberts + Crockenglishes (Homestuck) VS. Sonic & co. (Sonic the Hedgehog)

Mulder + Scully (The X-Files) VS. Steph Lauter + Pete Spankoffski (Hatchetfield)

Main Cast (Omori) VS. Ben Tennyson + Gwen Tennyson + Kevin Levin (Ben 10)

Ashe Ubert + Claude Von Riegan + Sylvain Jose Gautier (Fire Emblem: Three Houses) VS. Birdetta + Yoshi (Mario)

Prime Defenders (JRWI: Prime Defenders) VS. Strilondes (Homestuck)

The Mystery Gang (Scooby Doo) VS. Billie Logan + Thea Preston (Bill and Ted)

Splatoon Idols VS. Lexthan (Hatchetfield)

Sex Bob-omb + Ramona Flowers (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) VS. Jonathan Sims + Martin K. Blackwood (The Magnus Archives)

[oxymorayuri]

𝐶𝘩𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝟷𝟹

𝐴 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑜𝑛 𝑡𝑜 𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑣𝑒 »

𝑇𝑟𝑎𝑓𝑎𝑙𝑔𝑎𝑟 𝐷. 𝑊𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟

𝐿𝑎𝑤 ✘ ♀ 𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑟

𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐒𝐓: Aydana / lababa

Story: The princess of Tanata

(Long Fic)

➽ Click on this link to see all chapters.

Spoiler: nope

Warnings: not really, just some talking about Bepos bro.

slowburn with plot

Wordcount: 3194

Text in italics emphasizes the reader’s thoughts

Bold and italic text emphasizes Law's thoughts *~*

Tagging: @slytherinambitious - @sassyyassi - @norasincubi - @cottoncandyloverrrr - @one-piece-frvr7

After the fight, you hang out on the meadow.

The sun shines through the tree crowns and a gentle breeze blows occasionally. Together you enjoy the peaceful evening and people chat in their little groups. Sanji came with Chopper and Franky and brought dinner for everyone.

The day couldn't be more beautiful.

After dinner, Brook played a song for the group, a song about pirate life. The pirates around you cheered and sang the song with their arms around each other. Although you don't know the lyrics, the cheerful mood makes you swing along and you clap to the beat.

Binks' Sake | Binkusu no Sake ♪♪♪ Yo-hohoho, Yo-hohoho Yo-hohoho, Yo-hohoho Yo-hohoho, Yo-hohoho Yo-hohoho, Yo-hohoho Going to deliver Binks' sake! We are pirates sailing through the sea! The waves are our pillows, The ship our roost Flying the proud skull on our flags and our sails ♪♪♪

You are amazed at how everyone can actually sing along to the song and the lyrics make you curious. After the performance, you watched the sunset together.

I wonder what it's like to be a pirate?

Your father has always made you so curious and the stories he and his crew told you have awakened a longing in you. It made you want to get to know life out there and sail the seas.

And for the first time in years, you feel this longing again, which you had shut off back then.

Why? Well, because you didn't want to sail into a world where people are both dangerous and cruel.

But with the crew before your eyes you are pretty relieved…

They give you hope that not all humans and even pirates are like that. They are not like the people from back then, as they have proven in the last days.

"Princess, what are you thinking about?" Bepo appears in your field of vision and pulls you out of your thoughts. He takes a seat next to you and looks up into the sky you were looking a moment ago. You get out of your position and lean against the furry mink. Your gaze returns to the sky.

"Tell me, Bepo, do you ever miss home?" - "Miss my home? My home is the Polar Tang!" He says proudly and hums a little laugh. His expression is very soft as he watches the passing clouds. He wraps a paw around you and pulls you closer to him and you snuggle up further.

The way you two snuggle together has already become quite normal. Often you've joined Bepo when you've seen him lying in the sun, in the quiet palace garden and together you've looked for funny pictures in the clouds.

"But if you mean the place where I was born, then I can tell you that yes, I miss my old home, but there was an important reason why I left my home island…" Although he lies calm and relaxed with you, you can hear the sadness in his voice. You gently brush against his paw and pat him. You look caringly into his eyes and he returns your gaze.

"But when I'm at sea with my crew, the Heart Pirates, home is everywhere." He covers up his sadness and gives you a little Eskimo kiss on the nose, which you happily return.

"You said that very beautifully." You can't help but hug the mink tightly with your thin arms.

"But why did you come up with that, Princess?" You look up at him with sparkling eyes.

"I've always wanted to leave this island and discover the wonders of the outside world, but my family and friends are here…" You look to the side a little nervously.

You leave out the detail that your grandfather would never let you sail off anyway. Never. Not even if he wasn't the king. But you are also quite uneasy. Because as mentioned, the world out there also has a dark side.

But you're still sure that your curiosity will outweigh this feeling and you would take the risk… if only you were allowed to…

You laugh to yourself a little longingly.

"Hmm, maybe you just haven't found the right reason, that makes you want to break away from your roots." Bepo speaks thoughtfully. You look up at him, a little confused.

A real reason?

This question is written all over your face and the polar bear giggles again.

"Yes. For example, I wanted to find my brother." - "Did you find him?" You look up at him expectantly, but the mink exhales deeply.

"No…" There it is again. That heartbreaking sadness in his soft voice. This feeling goes straight through your chest.

"Not yet." You add to his sentence as you take both of his paws in your small hands and bring them to your forehead. You close your eyes as you feel Bepo bury his cheek in your hair. You whisper a little prayer to yourself and break away from your pose to look into his beady black eyes.

"Your journey just isn't over yet, I firmly believe you'll see him again." You could literally see it in front of your own eyes. Like a distant memory, you could see Bepo embracing his brother. You felt happiness and relief, but maybe it was just your deepest wish that sparked your imagination… Who knows.

"Even as a child I always wanted to see a Sea King, I'd say that's my reason!" Your voice seems so enchanted that a small laugh escapes from the polar bear.

"Nah, that's a weak reason." Your gaze goes up and there stands Shachi who has just casually butted into your conversation. You look at him with a raised eyebrow as he devours a few cookies with relish and offers you one too. You gratefully accept one as he takes a seat in front of you.

"Uh okay. Weak?" Blushing, you look at him questioningly.

"Hey, don't say it like that…" Penguin stands behind him with his hands on his hips, and as he takes a seat next to the cookie devouring man, he pulls his cap over his face.

"Hey, what are you doing?! I was just telling the truth!" Offended, he frees his face and gives the man next to him a dirty look. Penguin, on the other hand, shakes his head.

"HOW you say something is the point!" He declares with his finger raised. Politely, he turns to you with a hand on his chest.

"The princess's reason is not weak… just too easy!" You furrow your eyebrows, just as confused as before.

"Easy?" you look back and forth between the two men.

Then you look up questioningly at Bepo, who shrugs his shoulders and is just as confused by what the two guys are saying.

For a while you watch the back and forth arguing between the two men. Shachi says that it's the same thing, while Penguin desperately preaches about manners. You can't help but laugh. The two of them are just too entertaining, it would be torture for you not to laugh. If you're honest, you weren't even angry about Shachi's choice of words. You were more curious as to why your reason was weak or rather translated; too easy. Penguin's behavior warms your heart and the two in front of you seem like an old married couple.

"Hey what's up with you guys?" You open your eyes, which you had closed because of your laughing fit, and wipe the tears from the corners of your eyes. You look behind the men, who freeze in the middle of their quarrel, to look up at Law.

"Captain!" Bepo shouts happily. "Penguin and Shachi are just arguing about whether the princess's reason is weak or too easy." The men look back and forth from Law to Bepo in total shock. Bepo's words are so out of the blue. He hums a little skeptically and sits down as well. Law tries to understand the whole thing, but can't quite find the context.

Princess-ya's reasons? Weak or too easy?

He has no idea what the situation was before he came along. He was just curious because he heard from afar, how the two guys were arguing and you were laughing at full force.

Law looked into the Mink's beady eyes and made it quite obvious, that he was expecting a better explanation but the Polar Bear didn't get his signals and just grinned happily at him, now that Law was here. (lol llittle fangirl.)

"We've talked about how everyone has their reasons for leaving home, to sail out into the world… And Penguin and Sachi share the same opinion, that my reason isn't really good?" You're still a bit confused yourself, as you don't really know what they mean by that, but at least you can clear things up for Law.

With a raised eyebrow, he nods as he looks over at the men.

"Okay… and what's the reason?" Even though he's facing the men, his eyes are looking at you.

"Sea Kings" you speak a little quietly. You're nervous about what his answer will be.

"Sea Kings?" he repeats your word, clearly surprised.

"Yea Sea Kings…"

"Yeah okay, I agree with those two. That is indeed too easy."

Now, not only Shachi and Penquin are the two who are open mouthed but you and Bepo join in the shock. Law, on the other hand, crosses his arms and grins with his eyes closed.

You shake your head. Now you really want an explanation of what that means. If Law even thinks that, then he has to explain it to you now.

"What does too easy mean?" - "You'll meet a Sea King pretty quickly."

"Oh, okay." - "Your reason is definitely a tourists reason."

You're caught off guard by Law's direct manner and and your eyes blink with confusion, as your jaw dropped open. Law finds your reaction quite funny and decides to tease you some more.

"What do you do when you meet a Sea King? What do you get out of meeting a Sea King and what comes after?" You close your mouth, as you really don't have an answer for Law, and break the eye contact.

"You have the desire to meet a Sea King, but it's not really a reason to leave everything behind…"

You're confused by the whole reason thing. Law asks you things you don't understand.

"Why do I have to need a reason? Can't I see the journey as a reason?" To your confusion, the black haired man just grins at you and adjusts his hat a little. When his eyes look into yours again, you are slightly startled. His gaze goes right through you.

"Of course." His agreeing makes you study him closely, you can't figure out his true thoughts.

"Not everyone needs a good reason to sail the world, but you do, since you have a reason to stay." He looks at you as if he has read you like an open book.

Perhaps he already knows you too well, as you have spent a lot of time together in the past few days. But you can't get a single word past your lips. Law is visibly amused by your speechlessness, as you're usually a pretty talkative person.

"You have to understand that people either have a reason to leave, or to stay. You may want to see a Sea King, but that's not reason enough to leave; what's your reason for staying Princess-ya?" Slowly you follow the riddle that Law speaks and see his message.

"My family." you answer him absently.

"See… so "Sea King" isn't exactly a good reason, because it's not enough for you to drop the reason why you're staying." Law raises his arms a little as if presenting the answer that is becoming clearer to you.

"Woah that makes so much sense it hurts." Exhausted, you let yourself fall backwards into Bepo's arm. He gently pats your head.

You do realize that you don't have enough reasons to leave your homeland. You have wishes, but you know that not all of them will come true.

Basically, Law just wanted to show you that it's okay to have a reason to stay. You may not realize that many of the people here have led lives that are far from your imagination and that they had no reason to stay… but he's not sure if you understood it that way. He just doesn't want to go into it any further.

And as Law feared, you didn't take it that way.

As you all make your way back to the castle, you think hard about Law's words.

You want to discover the world, but you're a little scared. If you leave, what will happen to your people? What if they get attacked again? You have a great responsibility in this country and don't have the luxury of living out your desires.

Your duties. That is the reason why you stay.

You are envious that you don't have the privilege of choosing over your own life. Your life has been prophesized, carved into stone and tattooed on your skin.

Your life has been lived thousands of times and you are destined to begin and end your life here.

Your heart is heavy but you are proud to be the priestess of Tanata, if it weren't for the desire.

It's hard not to notice that your thoughts are elsewhere. You sip your tea absently while your grandfather and Delia talk about the current situation.

Grandfather had urged you to have a cup of tea with the family again, as most of your attention has been on the guests over the last few days, but the family shouldn't be neglected. You were a little annoyed.

If family is so important to him, why didn't he come and tell you in person?

[Yesterday]

When you came back to the castle, you went straight to your bedchamber... You just wanted to be alone and think about everything your pirate friends had told you.

You didn't even pay your grandfather a visit in his study, nor did you have your afternoon tea with Delia. These are things that are completely normal for you and your king noticed this unusual behavior immediately. He sent his butler that same evening to deliver "the king's words" to you. He wants to see you at tea tomorrow and you realize, that it's more of an order than a request.

Only ONCE did I not follow my routine and I was immediately addressed… Ughhh how annoying!

You angrily threw your pillows at the door that the butler had closed.

You're tired of doing the same thing every day and if it doesn't go the way you're supposed to, it's immediately pointed out.

Your whole life is planned. You already know what will happen in the future and even your funeral is already planned.

You will be buried next to all the priests, who were once the bearers of the devil's fruit. You have a statue that resembles you and the people of your generation will pray at your grave, when you pass away one day.

It makes you sad. You won't even be buried in the cemetery of the royal family... You won't lie next to your mother and father or get married... You are not your own person. You are just the holy child of the devil's fruit.

Your thoughts are running wild. The reason to stay is your destiny but your reason to leave is freedom…

But you are not sure if you are allowed to be free. You lack nothing here and you have everything one could dream of… You keep telling yourself that.

You pull your legs towards you and bawl your eyes out on your knees. But a twisted smile crosses your depressed face.

"I should be ashamed of myself." You know it's your duty and you're ashamed of your own desires.

[Present]

Absently you look into the distance, your gaze as empty as your heart. Your thoughts dance the tango and the sides inside you argue about which path is the right one.

Your grandfather can't help but notice how you struggle with yourself, but he doesn't speak to you. He knows that if you want to talk, you will come to him. Forcing or pushing you to do something is never a good idea.

What an irony.

Because he is very aware of the weight on your shoulders. The expectation you have to fulfill… in the last week it has become clear that you have different feelings about your life. But he won't let you go, not because you have to stay. He can't let you go.

"Hey my angel, you're not saying a word today. Did something happen?" Delia brushes a strand of hair out of your face while she looks for the color in your eyes.

You feel like a stranger in your heart and exhale a little heavily.

"Not really."

Delia looks over at your grandfather, hoping for support, but he just watches quietly.

The table is filled with the most delicious pastries and food. All your wishes are always fulfilled without you having to do anything. Your life is so full that it makes you incomplete.

Do this, do that. Don't do this and don't do that. Be kind and friendly. Be elegant but smart. Be dignified but cunning. Be the most beautiful but the purest.

Love everyone but let no one alone own your heart. Sacrifice yourself but never die.

You are supposed to be so much and to your surprise you have always listened and obeyed. You fulfilled and even exceeded all expectations. You are holy.

But you are so much that you don't recognize your true face when you look in the mirror. Through your new friends you were able to realize that you are more than the praised child.

You are y/n. You don't want to be a princess or a priestess. You don't want to do the same thing every day. But you also don't want to leave anyone behind, neglect your duties and leave people who still mean the world to you without protection. You don't want to betray the gods, especially not after they've given you a chance. You don't want to disappoint anyone.

So is this the price you have to pay?

You are aware of what your heart longs for but you are stuck in some sort of identity crisis.

You can't have it both ways.

A/N: Hey babes! I wanted to talk to you about something. I'm always happy when you guys want to know when I'm posting the next chapter. Seriously! I feel so honored that I want to shower you with kisses. I would love to post several times a week but unfortunately I'm an adult (silent weeping). Yes I know I'm not the only one of course lol but I'm studying and working 30 hours a week on the side. I'm a tired bitch XD Feel free to keep asking me when I'll post again ♡, but I just wanted to let you know that I'm a bit busy. Normally I try to post once a week but the blockade is messing it up even more >:( Oh no, writer's block? Yupp and I hate it! let me explain; I'm currently near the end of the first arc and even though I have so many ideas, I'm having a hard time letting my imagination run wild. I hate it. There's still some info to wrap up but when I read my drafts I don't feel like writing anymore... I'm dying to get started but the Tanata arc is our prequel and unfortunately it's a bit dry. Dry is fine, but only for wine. How many arcs are planned, you're probably wondering; Well, I don't have a real ending in mind yet, I'm enjoying the process and developing more and more new ideas to keep the story alive. At the moment we are in the "Tanata arc", after that I already have rough ideas for 2 more arcs planned. The second arc is called "Polar Tang arc" and the third "Dress Rosa arc" In fact, I'm sticking to the original storyline of One Piece but creating an alternative version. I know there's always the fear that the author of the story you like, will cancel the story but believe me… I'm just as excited about what's going to happen like u are. lol, like I'm not the author XD I have some pretty dramatic stuff planned and I would love to do a timeskip but unfortunately I have to finish the Tanata arc. We can't look into the future if we don't live the present as my mom would say. Ughhh.

See you next time, kiss kiss ♡

➽ Next chapter

[cobra-diamond]

My Problems With Azula In the Spirit Temple

Spirit Temple feels like a breath of fresh air in a lot of ways, but it also contains a number of lingering foul odors. Here are some of the problems I have with Spirit Temple:

This Version of Casual Bitch Face Azula

Not be confused with Resting Bitch Face Azula. I'm talking her eyebrows raised casually, her aloof expression, flippant demeanor, and very sharp, even jaundice features. I know we’ve seen variants of this Azula before, but this comic's version in the beginning and at the end feels like an amalgam of her characterizations from Book 2, Book 3, and The Search, maybe even Smoke & Shadow a bit. Something feels off about this characterization of Azula. It feels a bit forced and exaggerated.

The Fire Warriors Not Wanting Revenge on Society

Huge missed opportunity. This was an area where Azula and her acolytes could have related to each other and bonded on a personal level; being discarded by their society and their families. The potential was there for the Fire Warriors to be inspired by Azula because the princess of their nation went through the same ordeal as them. They even wore facsimiles of Azula’s clothes. Instead, they want to be Robin Hoods? The fuck? I know why the story did this. It wants to end the Kemurikage plotline and tie Azula to a new, likely comic-erased, plot for Avatar Studios. It’s still a monumental missed opportunity made even worse by the ending.

The Ending

Trash ending. I’ve changed my mind. It’s terrible. It almost sinks the whole comic. Almost, but not quite. One of two outcomes could have occurred for this story: Azula reconciles with the Fire Warriors, or Azula leaves them be, which is what happened. But we needed a more definitive statement from Azula, not Casual Bitch Face Azula flippantly walking off into the sunset. Once again, Azula is walking off alone into a forest, with no clear indication of what will come next for her or what she actually wants.

But the worst part of the ending is her line, “I’ll find new followers, a new place to rule." What complete nonsense. What, is she going to Neverland to rule over the Lost Boys? Skull Island and marry King Kong? This is 100% a result of Avatar Studios' and the franchise’s overall lack of plan surrounding Azula and the Royal Family. Don’t give me this amateur fanfic garbage of her venturing around the world with no money and no allies. The more I look at this ending, the worse it gets.

The Fire Warriors Getting Dropped

This ties into the ending. The franchise has a massive problem of not having people for Azula to talk to, not having anyone in her corner like Iroh was for Zuko. She’s alone in the finale. She’s alone in The Search. Smoke & Shadow is a joke so ignore that crap. And this comic continues the trend.

Being alone is not naturally part of her arc at this point. It's artificial. There should be no shortage of people in the Fire Nation who are willing to befriend the princess, help the princess, woo the princess. The Fire Warriors were clear examples of girls who would admire her, but the franchise chose to turn them into “good” people who just want to steal from the rich and give to the poor. Perhaps the problem is that Azula's allies would be political in nature and the Fire Nation currently lacks the necessary worldbuilding to have political allies for Azula when that would create huge downstream affects for Zuko.

The War Is Not Mentioned

Azula can’t separate her identity with her political role in the Fire Nation, and that's fine, but the franchise needs to be honest about why the Royal Family is so fucked up, why Zuko and Azula fought an Agni Kai, and why Azula is still adversarial to her older brother, because of the war.

The war.

The war. The war. The war.

The war that wiped out the Air Nomads and Southern Water Tribe waterbenders. The war that led Azulon to be an evil sack of shit to his grandson by commanding Ozai to kill him. That war that led Iroh to either be a proud warlord and favorite of said sack of shit Azulon or feckless burnout in the face of his sack-of-shit-to-be brother. The war that led Ozai to have a reason to be brutal and self-serving. The war that led Iroh to convince Zuko to battle his sister and prevent her from being Fire Lord. The war that pinned Zuko and Azula against each other in the first place.

The war, Sozin, and Azulon need to start getting blamed as root causes for a lot of these problems. Ozai is already getting his portion and is starting to get more from Azula. And Iroh doesn’t get off the hook. He failed to challenge his brother to an Agni Kai when clearly any member of the Royal Family can do so according to Zuko's and Azula’s Agni Kai. I need the war to be blamed for destroying the royal family. This comic barely does that.

Azula Was Too Complacent Around the Spirit

We all know Azula is an incredibly brave girl, but she’s also intelligent enough to sniff out danger. Why wasn’t she more forceful in demanding answers from the scary monk? Why did she play the spirit’s game instead of fight it immediately? This isn’t a big problem, but it made the exchange feel a bit forced and Azula experiencing Plot-Induced Stupidity.

The Spirit’s Intentions Were Too Vague

Was it trying to eat her? Why did the monk kick her out? Why couldn’t it “control what happens next”? Why did it think it new how to "redeem" Azula when it demonstrated tat it didn't know her well enough? There were major Coraline vibes in this story, from the Other Mother-esque tactics of giving Azula what she wants, to Azula circling back to the temple when trying to leave. Again, not a big problem, but it made the spirit frustratingly vague.

Azula’s Blank Reaction to the Zuko Monster

Too many blank stares while the Zuko Monster was lambasting her. I think I know what this scene was doing, but, please, if Azula is confused, use some dialogue to express that. If Azula is scared, or overwhelmed, use some dialogue to convey that. The prior scenes already used dialogue very effectively to convey Azula’s perspective.

Too Short

I don’t care about the comic format. I need more of this. The ATLA franchise does not have a character remaining who can hold a candle to Azula’s complexity, psychological damage, inner and moral conflicts, and potential for transformation. The Bounty Hunter and the Tea Brewer? Mystery of Penquan Island? ‘Fuck outta here with that shit. Give me more Crime and Punishment, Azula-edition.

[hyuburt]

*Epic rock bass solo*

[ID: A colored digital drawing of Fig Faeth from Dimension 20's Fantasy High. She is drawn in the cartoonish style of Total Drama Island, with sharp angles highlighted by curved lines. Fig is a tiefling teenage girl who is drawn with horns and pointy ears jutting from the sides of her head. Her hair is long and braided, with messy princess cut bangs that frame her face. The bangs on her forehead are dyed a bright purple, along with the tip of her braid. She is wearing a grey leather jacket with spiky cuffs, dark red fingerless gloves, a light grey t-shirt with a horned skull on it, a thick black belt over a checkered dark red skirt and black leggings, and a pair of dark grey mid-calf boots. She also has two piercings in her right ear and has a choker around her neck. Her right calf has a fishnet poking out of her boot, coming up to just under her knee. She is strumming a maroon and pink bass guitar that is shaped in a spiky way with the top of the base resembling lopsided horns. She is standing with her knees bent inwards and stance wide as though she is jamming out. Her eyes are closed and she has a big trouble-making smile on her face. End ID]

[qsmpcensusbureau]

The woman walks delicately through his farm, dress between her hands, lifted as she walks, barefoot, towards him.

“Lovely farm, Chayanne.” She says, gently. Her voice is elegant, eerily echoing as though trapped in a room, even though the sky stretched on above her. "It reminds me of a friend."

He remains silent. He didn’t know her. When she reaches the end of the farm and crosses onto the yard, he steps back.

“You do not have to fear me, little warrior. We are closer than you realize.”

“Who are you?” He asks. 

“Hasn’t my husband told you about me?” She chuckles lightly. Chayanne thinks she is very beautiful. Her hair falls like rivers around her shoulders, ebony black and shining in the sunrise’s pale light. She wears a large sunhat, stark white against her dark hair. “I am Kristen, Goddess of Death.”

“...Kristen.” Chayanne repeats quietly. “...If you are Death, have you come to take me away? Do I get to play on your dragon?”

She laughs, and he briefly wonders if there is anything about her that is not elegant. Was Death really so beautiful? She did not seem like something to fear, she did not seem like the end of a beaten road. 

“I haven’t come to take you away. But you know about my friend, do you? Very good, very good. Philza is a very good storyteller, no?” 

“You know my father?” Chayanne eyes her up and down, and she reaches out her hand for him to take. After a moment, he does. It is soft and warm, large where he is small. “How?”

Kristen blinks warmly, turning the hand Chayanne holds slightly. Glinting on her finger in the sunlight is a silver ring, the gem inside as dark as her hair and cut in the shape of a skull. 

“We are wed.” She explains. “Your father made a promise to me. The rings are the physical manifestation of that promise, our love to eachother, and to the glory of death.”

“It’s beautiful.” He gasps. “I thought death was supposed to be scary and sad. But I’m not scared of you.”

“My dear, I can be scary, and I can be sad. But death is a part of life, so I may appear in all forms.”

“What about my dad? Is he Death too?”

She signals for them to walk. She walks close to the fence, as if surveying the island below. Chayanne holds onto her hand, trying to match their footsteps, although hers outreaches his.

“Would you like to hear a story?”

Chayanne nods. 

“Once upon a time, a long, long time ago, there was a massive kingdom underneath the earth. It was called Tartarus. It was dangerous to get there, but it was an oasis, a paradise, where souls could go on and live peacefully for all eternity.” She blows into her palm and from smoke a kingdom appears, just as incredible as she described. “And in this kingdom there was a Princess.”

They stop, overlooking the spawn area. It stretched on for miles and miles. She watches it quietly for a moment.

“This Princess didn’t want to be queen. She wanted to command the Royal army. After decades and decades of asking, her father- the king- finally relented, and she was given command of a special branch of the army. The reapers. 

They were the most involved with the upside, tasked with bringing the souls from the dead to the underworld. Sometimes, if they died in war, they were allowed to join the forces of the army. Sometimes, they were born down here. Just like the princess, and like her favorite soldier.”

She sighs, a gentle smile across her face as she continues. 

“He was rowdy, a rulebreaker, but loyal. He was going to be taken off the reapers until the Princess arrived. They bickered and bickered and bickered until eventually she saved his life on the front. After that, he followed her until the end of the earth, vowing his life to her, and eventually, she vowed hers to him. 

 She eventually had to become Queen, and with that she would have to abandon her life at the front, and her love. Unless, he suggested, they wed. And he becomes king. It was unthinkable to the princess. Usually royalty only married royalty. But she loved him more than law, so she agreed. And he promised her. He promised her that he would never turn his back on her, he would never leave her, and even in death, they would be eternally in love.”

Chayanne stared up at her in awe. “That was an amazing story. Is it about you and Dad?”

“Yes, little one. It is.” She sighs, getting down on one knee. “I must go. The island does not want me here for long. Please tell Phil that I miss him, and that my heart longs for him, always.”

“Yes, Mother, I will.”

She presses a kiss to his head, cupping his face in her warm hands.

“Goodbye, little reaper.”

And then, he wakes up.

NO BETA. WE DIE LIKE MEN. I AM CRINGE BUT I AM FREE

[leoprime13]

Shimo: So, this small human girl is also yours?

Kong: Jia? Yeah, she's kinda... my daughter.

Shimo:

Kong: ADOPTED! SHE'S MY ADOPTED DAUGHTER!

[darknesseddiem]

One night in Montesalma

Pairing: Pirate! Eddie Munson x Princess! Reader.

Summary: The Sparrow brothers were known around the world for their cunning, seduction and... their horrible ability to stay out of trouble.

All of this gets worse when Jack and Eddie decide to pay a visit to the island of Montesalma, where their old friend and former crew member of the Cursed Skull has taken refuge and has been taken by the dark side.

Bringing chaos and destruction wherever they go, the two brothers are taken by surprise when they are captured by none other than Silver Sword, or rather, Jason Carver, the captain of Montesalma's royal guard.

Fearing hanging in the public square, Jack and Eddie need to think of a plan to escape there alive, and like a miracle sent by the gods of the sea, Eddie realizes his former friend's greatest weakness. The princess of Montesalma, the reason why Jason left the life of a pirate.

Warnings: SMUT MDNI, +18, fingering, oral (both m and f), unprotected sex, p in v, marking, breeding kink, knife play, hints of sub!eddie.

Word Count: Unknown.

Taglist: @ediewentmissing @akiratoro420 @thebookowal If you want to be tagged, just comment.

Coming soon...

[lestappen-on-top]

I'm trying If it's bad, kill me 🥹

Sewis, breeding kink ,Seb returning to F1

It had been a relatively calm morning, Lewis went to do his morning run, and since he was feeling like taking Roscoe with him, he ended up being dragged away.

He knew that his contract with Ferrari promised him something new, and with the developing friendship that he had with Charles, he admitted that he was excited.

But some rumors had started...

Sebastian Vettel could return to F1 with a Mercedes seat.

He could remember all of the great times he spent by his side, and his undying crush for the blond man never ceased, the fire only grew stronger.

If he reached out and decided to ask him to spend the evening together, nothing would go bad, right?

It was a bad idea, he cut his hair short again, and that boyish grin was constantly on his face, there was a hot and electrifying feeling on his pelvis, and he couldn't decide if it was from the usual image of the German, or the thought of him in fireproofs.

- So, Lewis ,Forza Ferrari, huh?

- You said it yourself that everyone is a Ferrari fan. But you're one to talk, you haven't told me anything.

-About what?

-Your return to Formula one, and in my former seat, I thought you were truly done with it?

He could see some lingering confusion in his eyes, but them, something flirty flashed though them as he wetted his lips.

-Are you that exited to see me back on the grid, being you opponent once again? Or do you just want to see me all sweaty in the fireproofs while battling you on track?

He was definitely fucked, he couldn't even stop staring at his lips while he spoke, and feeling the need to hide his obvious erection, he got up.

- W-well, I'm gonna get a cup of tea, would you like anything Seb?

-Oh don't worry about me, thank you

While he was waiting for the kettle to heat up and boil the water, he couldn't help but feel a pair of eyes burning into his skull, making the occasional shiver run down his spine, he should have never brought up this subject.

But then, suddenly-

-Should I be worried that you fuck someone else on the grid?

There was a warm presence plastered on his back, he couldn't help but try to get away, as he was traped between the kitchen Island and the man behind him.

-W-what do you mean by that I'm not-

-Then why have you suddenly stopped talking to me? Did you stop liking me?

How did he-?

-Wait a minute, you know? Oh I'm gonna kill that bastard you called teamma-

-Leave Charles out of the conversation, and no, he didn't tell me anything, but you should have. I could have fucked you countless times, made you come on yourself, yet you decided to waste all of these years.

-How would I-I know?

-Oh sweetheart, It was more than obvious, you were just in denial, but maybe we should compensate, ja?

He couldn't think much after that, his lips where suddenly taken with a fiery passion, and he could not help but moan into the other's mouth, his tongue was vicious, his hands were searching and mapping all of his body, he could feel both of their cocks rubbing together.

Suddenly, he was being lifted up into the Island, and while he circled his arms around Sebastian, his lips were abandoned by him, making him chase after that warm feeling.

-Tell me Lewis, should I fuck you or explore your body?

The words weren't getting into his head, all that he could think of was Seb, fuck, need him inside, more.

-Maybe I should fuck you, make you come on my cock.

Then, his clothes were being ripped off, crying out as his Burberry hoodie was ripped apart. The shame was making way into his mind, there he was, completely naked on his kitchen, with Seb fully clothed in front of him.

Think after, fuck now

-Wa-wait, we need lube, I-

-Oh, don't worry princess, I have a better way.

He couldn't help the whine that bubbled out of his throat at the mention of the name Sebastian used, he couldn't think for much longer after as suddenly his legs were being spread apart, and seeing him crouch on the floor, there was a sudden wet, warm pressure on his hole, he took hold of his hair as loud moans dripped out of his mouth.

-Oh g-god please, Seb....Can't last much longer, please, too much, ...Ah!

Nothing coherent was coming out of his mouth, and so, he could see the glint in the Germans eyes as he fucked him open, adding his finger one by one until there were three inside.

-Maybe I should make you cum like this, get you all nice and loose for me ,heh?

Wrapping a hand around his cock ,Lewis came, shouting Seb's name, and as he came down from his orgasm he heard the zipper of his jeans being open, freeing the other's cock, making his mouth water despite having just come.

-Enjoying the view, I see?

Lewis blushed furiously, letting his head drop back, widening his eyes as he felt the intrusion in his lower regions.

Soon, all that you could hear from the kitchen were the wet slaps of skin against skin, grunts, moans and whines as the Brit was being fucked within an inch of his life.

-Maybe we should do this in front of your teammate, huh? Or the team, I'm sure Toto would've been pleased that we get along so well, fuck in front of the whole grid, let the whole world know ...

And then, the bomb dropped...

-Maybe I should fuck a baby into you, have you telling everyone that the baby on your belly is mine, letting them know you're mine.

There was nothing he could do to stave off his second orgasm, everything was so quick to happen, and the Germans' thrusts were so rapid and brute.

-Oh baby, you like that, having me getting you pregnant? Ah there you go, good boy, cumming for me without being touched, god you're so pretty, could have you like this for ever.

As the oversensitivity overcame him, some tears were brought up to his eyes, being gently kissed away by Sebastian, as his thrust became sloppier by the second, eventually coming to a halt as he came deep inside him, pulling out after a few seconds to turn of the stove, as the water had evaporated completely, ant to get some tissues to clean them both.

- Was I too rough with you? Are you okay baby?

-I'm fine, just wanna rest for a while, could you carry me? You gave me the pleasure of loosing the feeling on my legs.

And as Sebastian got him up, and carried him to the bedroom, he couldn't help but snuggle into him, asking if could spend the night with him.

Little did Lewis know that Seb was the one to iniciate the rumors and plan everything so that the move would finally be made.

Was it good? Hope you liked it, and English is not my first language.

Here you go @forza-lh44 , hope you like it !

[hyperfreaksating]

Would Osha and Law ever consider getting married? They don’t feel like it honestly, but the marriage meme got me thinking about it. Maybe something ultra casual if they would absolutely have to for some convoluted reason. They pretend they are honeymooners to get access to some info, conplete with an actual marriage, because if they are actual honeymooners, it will be actually believable. Cue everyone getting drunk on beer, Shachi throwing breadcrumbs in lieu of flowers, penguin carrying the rings (spider and skull, from a gumball machine) and Bepo bawling his eyes out because he actually takes this seriously.

(( super duper secret: Law and Osha are also delighted. They don’t really feel the need to get married, but if you got someone you can pull stupid shit like this with, that’s true love. True love BITCHES!!!))

HAAANW thank you so much because this is adorable!

I would lie if I said I've never thought about it because I'm a sucker for weddings... But actually the only scenario where I could see Osha and Law getting married would be the following:

- the heart pirates went to an island that kinda look like Las Vegas to unwind

- they get absolutely totally drunk and baked

- Osha and Law end up getting married in one of those cursed chapels with Soul King impersonator to officiate (the one piece alternative to Elvis impersonators)

- when they wake up they totally forgot it.

- some months after Law become kinda pouty because let's be honest he's a princess and would have liked a real proposal.

- he would die before admitting it tho and Osha is kinda clueless so....

Bonus I made the wedding meme for them too

[totaldrama-showdowns]

Submissions for the Non-Human Showdown! Including ones that are invalid!

Fang (x2)

“🦈🦈🦈”

“He's Fang ❤”

Cody Jr (x2)

“Cody Jr! No! Not Aunty Heather!”

Mr Coconut (x2)

“The og. Should have won every season /serious”

vince the alligator (x2)

“SWEEEEP”

“The lore… so immaculate”

the don box (x2)

“bzzz i have a stupid fucking clue for you. ah fuck the interns put me in a lame outfit again”

“what id don on about he's slaying in that shirt”

wt pineapple (x2)

“ALEPINEAPPLE FOREVER!!!”

“👅🐍🐍🐍🐍”

Irene the fish (x2)

“shes so beautiful i’d kiss her too”

“The final remaining member of Team Victory after DJs elimination, Irene went on to win the million and the hearts of many.”

the chrarry baby (x2)

“Goo goo gaa gaa”

“ive got my eye on u chris mclean”

Princess Beth Doll

“I WANT TO BUY ONE SO BAD IRL!!!!! Also, this too is yuri”

Old Jester from reboot S2ep9

“I love when Damien hugged him! That's scene is soooo cute. Also I love fluffy animal!”

Bobo :)

“SEASON 2 SPOILERS Bobo is the name of the bear that had the Raj mask in season 2 episode 12 :) idk I just think he’s silly”

DJ’s bunny

the Chris-shaped cake that Julia's group made

“I wanna eat that thang”

Dramarama Cody

“He's an alien”

Theodore (MK's stuffed unicorn)

(the arts and crafts) Shed (from season 1)

“shed sweep”

that evil little seal from wt

“sooo little and evil. who can hate him”

caleb rock

“possibly the best version of him out there”

the skull duncan carved for courtney

“you cant deny how iconic it was”

eva’s mp3 player

“the most important character in td history”

heather’s various hairstyles

“possibly the most diverse and versatile entity in td historu”

pahkitew island

“The best one”

Myself

“:^)”

ryan seacrests car

“very fast”

chef's car (total dramarama and gen 4)

“MY CAR!!!!!”

alien clone cody

“AAAAAAA*explodes into green goo*”

chris's wig

“wiggin”

heather's wig

“wiggin”

total drama yum yuk happy go time candy fish tails

“You ate it!”

trents five finger shirt

“5”

princess courtney CD

“all the greatest hits!”

owens butt

“fart”

anne maria’s hair style

“Ey im walkin here”

bridgettes surfboard

“BONK”

the fake antlers from the paintball ep

“Duncney”

manitobas fedora

“served!”

beary <3

“it’s LITERALLY beary”

ripper’s world record breaking fart

“he did it”

the portrait of cody as blue boy in wt

“funny looking”

sierra’s pizza box-cum-laptop*

“she uses the internet AND eats witj it. shes a genius”

*Mod Note: this refers to cum meaning: combined with; also used as (used to describe things with a dual nature or function).

waynes accent

“Eh we play hockey eh”

mal ventriloquist doll

“aaah im evil mal doll”

alejandro puppet

“we do a little trolling”

Chef 2.0

“He made him from a cashew”

Mt. Kīlauea

“She has the mercy to have her lava not hot enough to kill Alejandro, Ezekiel, and that random intern like... Everyone say "thank you" or somethin idk. Do you think she feels bad that Alejandro ended up in a robot suit because”

Immunity idol s4-5

“They ruined it's design in the reboot boooooooo”

MK's infernape

“Listen, she's a gamer and she's based. She would totally pick chimchar in bdsp. She probably hates people who tells her to "play platinum" because that was a game made for old people.

Try and exclude this submission, I dare you. There's nothing that says I can't submit theoretical non-humans. There's a non-zero chance that MK has an Infernape and I know it's been raised to have some awesome sneaky move. If you exclude this, I bet you'd allow "Mike's Torterra" because only a grass type fan would be a fire type and MK hater!!

Julia would keep her piplup unevolved and beat her console into tiny bits when she gets to Cynthia btw”

the drone of shame

“[picks up victim and flies away] wheeee”

that giant bowl of rice they fall into in japan

“mm giant bowl of rice”

noah’s dog

“his epic dog”

celine dion cardboard cutout

“love fucking wins #duncney”

the face huggers from Area 51

“rip tyler”

ezekiel MISSING milk carton

“Sad! He died.”

the eagle chris shot and killed

“someone arrest this man. again”

the confessional

“it’s always there for you”

geoff’s splinter

“OW”

the bread from codys pants

“man i need to rewatch island. i fucking love the pants bread”

That ice cream snowman from SMS

“LISTEN. JUST BECAUSE HE IS FROM THE EPISODE THAT SHALL NOT BE NAMED DOES NOT MEAN YOU CAN NOT GIVE HIM HIS RESPECT”

bear

“the one from raptear specifically. let's go lesbians”

that pizza chase threw the challenge for

“clearly he should be with it rather than emma. chemma? chipper? chazee? nope never fucking heard of them”

Momma's Spice

“*sprinkles it on op's head* mmmm tasty”

The Gilded Chris award

WT barf bags

“give a real f to those guys. never appeared after episode 7.”

the toxic marshmallow of loserdom

“killer of staci's hair”

The lavatory confessional

“bitch is iconic. 6/8 is a passing mark!!!”

Courtney's PDA

“why wouldnt they call it a phone idk but its so camp”

The Cassowaries

“Male cassowaries are responsible for raising the young. We love an involved father.”

Fire-breathing winged mountain goats

“You could make an Undertale reference with this (also they're really cool)”

Giant Beetle

“Dott shippers will like this one”

Mutated Maggots

“They're pretty cute!”

Six-Legged Rats

“ADORABLE EEEEEEEP!!!!”

scott bird

“what a beautiful bird”

Chef's car

“It may play a role in mkulia canon”

Gethin

that rainbow porridge in episode 8 of the reboot

“aw hell naw chris cookin up the gay porridge”

The cassowary that fell in love with Zee

“We love an iconic single mother looking for love”

The rat in the cargo hold that appears on screen for 0.5 seconds during Ezekiel's solo in "Come Fly With Us"

“That rat really carried the whole song. Iconic. Astounding. Never before seen talent. Lady Gaga is shaking in her Demonias.”

The Erymanthian Boar

“It wrecked Duncan's shit in Greece.”

The dock of shame

“So many teens walked on her, i think she deserves some recognizion”

gwen's blender necklace

Zoey's hamster (Miss Puffycheeks)

“It's cute and can punch a cat, need I say more?”

[arminreindl]

Today held an amazing surprise for me. For the second time ever, one of my illustrations (a silhouette) was featured in a published scientific paper. Specifically, my phylopic silhouette of Toyotamaphimeia machikanensis was used in "Crocodylian princess in Taiwan: Revising the taxonomic status of Tomistoma taiwanicus from the Pleistocene of Taiwan and its paleobiogeographic implications" courtesy of Yi-Yang Cho and Cheng-Hsiu Tsai.

A little backstory before I briefly summ up the paper. Toyotamaphimeia machikanensis (Toyotama-hime from Mountain Machikane, after a Japanese deity that took the form of a crocodile) is a tomistomine gavialoid from the Pleistocene of Japan. A fascinating animal, being found incredibly far north for a crocodilian, 6-7 meters long and with several signs of injury from combat (including a broken off lower jaw). Anyways, the paper itself does not deal with T. machikanensis directly. Instead, the authors take a look at various remains of tomistomines found on Taiwan, specifically Tomistoma taiwanicus and Toyotamaphimeia sp., concluding that both represent the same species they name Toyotamaphimeia taiwanicus. While this isn't a new discovery, it's still important research, as it contributes to how we understand tomistomines and specifically removes another animal that's clearly not Tomistoma from the Tomistoma genus. (For those unaware, much like Crocodylus, Tomistoma ended up being a dumping ground for any vaguely long-snouted crocodile).

Two things are especially interesting in addition to this revision. 1) The phylogenetic analysis. The phylogenetic analysis suggests that there was a whole group of east-asian "tomistomines" that existed from the Miocene until the Holocene. This included Penghusuchus, the oldest form from Miocene Taiwan. The tree further suggests that Penghusuchus would have eventually given rise to at least two genera. Toyotamaphimeia from Taiwan and Japan, and Hanyusuchus which lived along China's Pearl and Han Rivers (and only went extinct just 500 years ago).

The phylogeny isn't perfect, being known mostly from fragmentary fossils does mean that the group is poorly resolved, giving us a polyphyletic Toyotamaphimeia. Further one could take issue with one of the papers analysis recovering tomistomines as crocodylids, when most recent works suggest they were early gavialoids (something that is found by the authors when going purely off skull material). Regardless, such kinks notwithstanding the results do make a lot of sense and support the same broad conclusion reached by Iijima et al. 2022.

the second interesting thing is more of an untested hypothesis, but nonetheless worth pondering 2) Evolution and geography So I mean, with Penghusuchus and T. taiwanicus both being found on Taiwan, the authors reach the quite logical conclusion that this lineage could have originated on that island, only later branching out to mainland Asia and Japan. So far so good. They further point out that, aside from a juvenile in the 2-3 meter range, material of T. taiwanicus appears to be similar in size to T. machikanensis. Which, like said before, is easily in the size range of today's biggest crocodiles and even exceeds it. This is interesting given that the Japanese species lived in relatively more colder climate. So the paper suggests that Toyotamaphimeia managed to reach gigantothermy (meaning that its great size alone already aided in stabilizing the body temperature), which then helped the animal survive more easily in colder conditions after having left Taiwan in favor of Japan. I think more study is definitely needed to confirm this, ideally with better material, but its still an interesting suggestion and potential answer to explain how Toyotamaphimeia ranged as far north as it did.

I definitely recommend checking out the paper. It's a pretty interesting and fairly quick read. Crocodylian princess in Taiwan: Revising the taxonomic status of Tomistoma taiwanicus from the Pleistocene of Taiwan and its paleobiogeographic implications | Journal of Paleontology | Cambridge Core